Loop Loc Covers & Pool Opening Question ?

[zooba72]

Hi Everyone - I have some questions about pool opening and pool covers. I have an old loop-loc cover that probably is in need of replacement. Each spring, I spend about a week sanitizing the water in my 43k gallon pool. When I remove the cover, the water is black – it’s disgusting. It entails a lot of chlorine, DE, and cleaning the filter grids multiple times by hand. I've taken care of my parents pool for about 40 years. When I take off their regular cover with the pillows, I could probably jump right in. The water is close to perfect. I’m trying figure out why ? Is it the cover preventing stuff from entering the pool ? Their pool definitely receives more sun and has less leaf litter. I also need to be much more vigilant about combating algae as my pool gets afternoon shade and will get a mustard algae if neglected.

I'm not sure if disgusting water upon pool opening is normal ? I can say with certainty that the extra slamming that needs to be done will reduce the longevity of my liner. My parents lasted 23 years before I started patching it - replaced after like 26 years. So I’m curious what others think ? Is the condition of the water the result of having a mesh loop-loc cover ? or just the environmental conditions ? I was considering buying a large solid cover and putting it over the loop-loc next year, but not sure it would have any effect. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you

 

[blazer58]

Without knowing how you close, or when you open, with a mesh cover you will have dirt in the pool as it filters thru the mesh.
Leaves can also find their way in.

My water is also dirty when opening, but the water is not black.
I close in Oct and open by Mothers Day

 

[mrbookmanlibrarycop]

Do you get a lot of leaves/debris in the pool as well? Are there a lot of holes in cover?

Like blazer mentioned it would be useful to know your closing routine and when you open usually. That goes a long way in determining how the water will look like in the spring. Close late and open early! Being from New York, I usually close around Halloween and I open 1st or 2nd week in May depending on my pool temp.

 

[Bperry]

I have a looploc cover and a mesh tarp I put over the cover. I get a few worms and some dirt gets through but mostly clean. Water is clear when I open, but I open early and close it late. I also bring the chlorine up to SLAM level when I close.

 

[Wobblerlorri]

I open in mid May, when the water is warmer than 60, and close when the water temp is less than 60, about mid November. I also keep the chlorine up around 10 ppm, testing once a week. Usually have to add chlorine every 2 weeks or so.

I cover with a tarp and a pillow under it, and a leaf net on top. Both net and tarp come off together.

I open to crystal clear water, with only a little bit of dirt and leaves. I balance my water, vacuum the bottom, give it a good brush down, and then sit back and wait for the pool to reach 78.

 

[V___25]

What do you add when you close and when? I add tons of LC (feels like tons at least) and a cooper free algaecide. I do get tons of worms in the pool - they make there way under the loop-loc somehow - but at opening, the water is clear but cloudy from all of the dirt and decomposing worm bodies. It definitely shouldn't be black. What do you differently with your parents pool than yours? Is the only difference the cover?

 

[zooba72]

Thanks for the replies. I also close late, usually end of October beginning of November. I open usually in early May - sometimes April, it really depends upon the weather. I bring the chlorine up high, but do not Slam the pool prior to close. That's about it - I've never added algicide but probably should.

Lot's of leaves falling in late October/November and it keeps me busy before closing. There is definitely a lot of leaf litter around the pool area. This was the first year I made an effort to keep the cover clean, but it didn't have any significant impact on the water quality. I also have lots of worms at the bottom on the pool when I open. The cover needs to be replaced, there are some rips but I have them patched.

 

[SUNOFTHEBEACH]

You have a mesh cover, it lets sunlight in, and that grows algae. Your parents have a solid cover that lets no sunlight in, so no algae growth.

Algae starts growing in your pool early March, so by the time the middle of May rolls around you got your self black swamp.

If you replace the Loop-Loc, replace it with a loop-loc solid cover.

 

[zooba72]

"If you replace the Loop-Loc, replace it with a loop-loc solid cover."

That makes sense to me - I didn't know that was an option. Thank you

 

[IceShadow]

Here's my pool with a mesh cover upon opening this year:

IceShadow’s pool thread 2022

Hey guys, back from off-season! Well, almost. Maybe? It’s unseasonably cool this spring. I have a heater but not sure if anyone will swim when the weather is sub-60. :/ I guess I can open tomorrow. No harm.

www.troublefreepool.com

Stuff gets in. One day to vacuum it out, a few days of filtering, getting LC up to where it should be, and it looks pretty nice again.

I close after water is below 60, following the procedures here: Closing an In Ground Pool . Raise FC to SLAM level a few days before, let it fall back down to normal levels, then add polyquat, clean it really well, drain down below the returns, cap everything, etc. I open when the pool is still pretty cold, 50 degrees or so, typically in April-May. Worked well for me the last couple of years.